Enabling crowd-sourced video production

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes determining a layout for an output screen. The layout may be determined based on a producer interface. A video production device operated either by a server or by a client device may display a plurality of data input streams on the output screen in accordance with the layout. Each of the data input streams may be generated by one of several image capture devices. Each image capture device may include a display screen that displays guidelines as the image capture device captures images. The guidelines may have a first dimension that is based on the layout. The video production device may receive an indication that the layout has changed. The video production device may send instructions to one or more of the image capture devices to adjust the guidelines to a second dimension based on the change to the layout.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 by a video production device, determining a layout for an output screen, wherein the layout is determined at least in part based on a producer interface being operated by a producer; 
 by the video production device, displaying a plurality of data input streams on the output screen in accordance with the layout, each of the data input streams being generated by one of a plurality of image capture devices, wherein each of the image capture devices comprises a display screen that displays guidelines as the image capture device captures the respective data input stream, the guidelines having a first dimension that is based at least in part on the layout; 
 by the video production device, receiving, from the producer interface, user input comprising instructions to change the layout; and 
 by the video production device, sending instructions to one or more of the plurality of image capture devices to adjust the guidelines to a second dimension based on the change to the layout. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user input comprising instructions to change the layout for the output screen further comprises an instruction that the producer has added at least one additional data input stream to the output screen. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user input comprising instructions to change the layout for the output screen further comprises an instruction that the producer has added a media item to the output screen. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the media item comprises a title bar, a news item, or a username. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending a web resource to an additional image capture device not included in the plurality of image capture devices, wherein the additional image capture device generates an additional data input stream; 
 receiving an acknowledgement from the additional image capture device; and 
 adding the additional data input stream to the plurality of data input streams based on the acknowledgement. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the web resource comprises a Universal Resource Locator or a matrix barcode. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the layout is inaccessible by one or more users each operating one or more of the plurality of image capture devices. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the image capture device captures still images, video images, and audio data, and wherein the data input stream comprises still images, video images, and audio data. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the producer interface comprises a plurality of input streams each displayed in a window on the producer interface, each window being selectable for display on the output screen, the output screen displaying a subset of the input streams displayed on the producer interface. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first dimension comprises a first vertical dimension and a first horizontal dimension and the second dimension comprises a second vertical dimension and a second horizontal dimension, wherein the second horizontal dimension is smaller than the first horizontal dimension. 
     
     
       11. A system comprising: one or more processors and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to one or more of the processors, the one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 determining a layout for an output screen, wherein the layout is determined at least in part based on a producer interface being operated by a producer; 
 displaying a plurality of data input streams on the output screen in accordance with the layout, each of the data input streams being generated by one of a plurality of image capture devices, wherein each of the image capture devices comprises a display screen that displays guidelines as the image capture device captures the respective data input stream, the guidelines having a first dimension that is based at least in part on the layout; 
 receiving, from the producer interface, user input comprising instructions to change the layout; and 
 sending instructions to one or more of the plurality of image capture devices to adjust the guidelines to a second dimension based on the change to the layout. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the user input comprising instructions to change the layout for the output screen further comprises an instruction that the producer has added at least one additional data input stream to the output screen. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the user input comprising instructions to change the layout for the output screen further comprises an instruction that the producer has added a media item to the output screen. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the media item comprises a title bar, a news item, or a username. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to perform operations comprising:
 sending a web resource to an additional image capture device not included in the plurality of image capture devices, wherein the additional image capture device generates an additional data input stream; 
 receiving an acknowledgement from the additional image capture device; and 
 adding the additional data input stream to the plurality of data input streams based on the acknowledgement. 
 
     
     
       16. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 determining a layout for an output screen, wherein the layout is determined at least in part based on a producer interface being operated by a producer; 
 displaying a plurality of data input streams on the output screen in accordance with the layout, each of the data input streams being generated by one of a plurality of image capture devices, wherein each of the image capture devices comprises a display screen that displays guidelines as the image capture device captures the respective data input stream, the guidelines having a first dimension that is based at least in part on the layout; 
 receiving, from the producer interface, user input comprising instructions to change the layout; and 
 sending instructions to one or more of the plurality of image capture devices to adjust the guidelines to a second dimension based on the change to the layout. 
 
     
     
       17. The media of  claim 16 , wherein the user input comprising instructions to change the layout for the output screen further comprises an instruction that the producer has added at least one additional data input stream to the output screen. 
     
     
       18. The media of  claim 16 , wherein the user input comprising instructions to change the layout for the output screen comprises an instruction that the producer has added a media item to the output screen. 
     
     
       19. The media of  claim 18 , wherein the media item comprises a title bar, a news item, or a username. 
     
     
       20. The media of  claim 16 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 sending a web resource to an additional image capture device not included in the plurality of image capture devices, wherein the additional image capture device generates an additional data input stream; 
 receiving an acknowledgement from the additional image capture device; and 
 adding the additional data input stream to the plurality of data input streams based on the acknowledgement.